My partner and I use natural family planning

Anonymous, 26, Wales

My long term partner and I use natural family planning – I track my cycle and we either avoid sex or use protection on the days I am most likely to conceive.

Unfortunately one time I got muddled up with the dates – it had been a stressful month – and we ended up having unprotected sex on a day I later realised wasn’t ‘safe’.

Mortified at my mistake and worried that my partner would consider me too irresponsible to continue with natural family planning alone, I kept it to myself and went to a supermarket pharmacy the next day. I wasn’t too worried about being embarrassed, that is until I bumped into a friend (and ex sexual partner) at the pharmacy. We laughed it off in the end, I purchased the pill and took it as soon as I got home.

A few weeks later, after my period had come and a pregnancy test had come up negative, I told my partner. He was great about it, offering to cover the cost of the pill and making sure I knew that I could have told him at the time. It actually feels silly now that I didn’t speak to him about it, and I know if I ever needed to take emergency contraception again I would have absolutely no qualms whatsoever.

ellaOne® 30mg film-coated tablet contains ulipristal acetate and is indicated for emergency contraception within 120 hours (5 days) of unprotected sex or contraceptive failure. Always read the label.